No Peace In Silence

I apologize for my lack of posts lately due to the fact that my work basically taken all of my time. Today I bring you an interview with No Peace In Silence, a metal hardcore band from Pulilan, Bulacan. This was originally printed in my previous zine. No Peace In Silence is one of the flag bearers of metal hardcore here in Bulacan. They've been around for couple of years now; started as a punk outfit and evolve to a technical metallic hardcore that reminds me of some Swedish death metal stuff (new Swedish outfits). The following questions were answered by AJ, the band's vocalist.You get the idea...enjoy

TOGC - PLEASE TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THE BAND.

NPIS - NO PEACE IN SILENCE ARE THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO STRUGGLE TO SEARCH FOR THE REALMEANING AND PURPOSE OF EXISTENCE. THIS IS A WAY TO EXPRESS OUR FREEDOM THROUGH MUSIC AND SHARE HOPE THROUGH WORDS. AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK OUR MIND BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT EACH ONE OF US HAS THE RIGHT FOR A LIFE OF PEACE DESPITE THE IMPERFECTIONS WE MAY HAVE. NO PEACE IN SILENCE IS NOT JUST A BAND, IT IS AN IDEA WHICH REPRESENTS ANYONE WHO SEEKS FOR A CHANCE OF A BETTER WORLD. COME AND SING WITH US, COME AND BREATHE WITH US. YOU ARE FREE!

TOGC - I'VE PERSONALLY WITNESSED THE MUSICAL EVOLUTION OF THE BAND. YOU STARTED OUT ON A MORE PUNK FEELING (ALA DEAD ENDS), THEN YOU ADDED ANOTHER GUITAR TO DO A MORE NYHC STYLE, THEN NOW YOU SHIFT TO A MORE HEAVIER HARDCORE WITH A GOOD MIX OF METAL. SO, AFTER THESE MUSICAL STYLE CHANGES, WOULD YOU SAY THAT THIS IS THE SOUND THAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR?

NPIS - HONESTLY, WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY PARTICULAR SOUND, WE APPRECIATE MUSIC AND HOW IT IS CREATED. WE CHOOSE TO BE US. EVERY MEMBER HAS THEIR OWN DIFFERENT MUSICAL INFLUENCES RANGING FROM PUNK TO METAL, THRASH TO HARDCORE AND EVEN INDIE TO GRUNGE. WE CREATE MUSIC THROUGH EACH CONTRIBUTING INDIVIDUAL TALENTS. MIX THEM ALL TOGETHER AND SKY IS THE LIMIT. NOT TO MENTION, CHANGES IN THE BAND'S LINE-UP HAD A GREAT EFFECT ON THE EVOLUTION. FOR NOW, WE WILL PLAY WHATEVER WE WANT TO PLAY, NO MATTER THE CONSEQUENCES MAYBE.

TOGC - IF WE CAN'T FIND PEACE IN SILENCE, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE WE COULD FIND IT? DOES IT ALSO MEAN THAT SILENCE IS, MISLEADING US TO "FAKE" PEACE?

NPIS - YOU CAN FIND PEACE BY SEARCHING TO THE DEEPER MEANING OF LIFE. YOU WILL FIND PEACE BY EXPRESSING YOUR FREEDOM REGARDLESS OF THE RISKS. STANDING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN. THAT WILL BREAK THE CHAINS OF SILENCE FROM YOUR HEART. YOU WILL FIND PEACE BY NOT PRETENDING TO BE SOMEONE ELSE AND JUST BE WHO YOU REALLY ARE. BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF KEEPS THE HONESTY IN YOUR SOUL. A PEACEFUL MIND GUIDED BY A PEACEFUL HEART IS A LIFE OF HAPPINESS DESPITE OF THE MESS THIS WORLD FEEDS US. SILENCE IS NOT PEACE WHEN THERE IS NO JUSTICE. THE SILENT SCREAMS FROM THE MILLIONS OF JEWS KILLED DURING THE HOLOCAUST IS NOT PEACE. THE SILENT CRIES OF THE TUTSI PEOPLE DURING THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE IS NOT PEACE. THE SILENCE OF HUNDREDS OF ACTIVISTS MISSING AND DYING DURING THE MARCOS' REGIME UNDER MARTIAL LAW, WE CANNOT CALL THAT PEACE. NINOY AQUINO WAS SILENCED BUT HIS SPIRIT AND HIS CAUSE WILL ALWAYS HAUNT ANY DICTATOR WHO ABUSES POWER.

TOGC -HARDCORE PUNK IS FULL OF ANGER, VERY AGGRESSIVE, VERY ANGER DRIVEN AND VERY NOISY (pun intended). BUT, ON THE OTHER SIDE HCPUNK IS FILLED WITH EMOTION, COMPASSION AND LOVE. SO DO YOU THINK THAT THE "PEACE" THAT WAS CONCEALED IN FULL OF ANGST SCENE?

NPIS - HARDCORE IS A VERY POWERFUL MUSIC. IT LETS US DO WHAT WE FUCKING WANT AND SAY WHAT WE WANT TO SAY. IT GIVES CONFIDENCE TO THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID TO SHOW THEIR FEELINGS. IT'S THE TYPE OF MUSIC WHERE WE CAN RELEASE OUR HATE WHEN WE ARE REALLY ANGRY AND SCREAM OUR LUNGS OUT IF ITS NECESSARY.

THIS IS WHERE REAL PEOPLE MEET. THE HONESTY OF THIS MUSIC DEFINES THE SPIRIT OF UNITY AND THE CONNECTION OF OUR SOULS BONDED TO ITS MELODY. HARDCORE IS LOVE.

TOGC - YOU'VE RE-RECORD YOUR OLD STUFF AND PLANNING TO DO A FULL LENGTH. HAVE YOU ALREADY HAVE A CONCRETE PLANS FOR THIS PROJECT? I MEAN, WHAT LABEL, HOW MANY SONGS?

NPIS - YES, WE WILL FINISH THE FULL LENGTH ENTITLED "LIKE WHEAT BEFORE THE SICKLE". WE ARE NOT YET SURE HOW MANY SONGS WILL BE INCLUDED ON THE ALBUM BECAUSE WE ARE STILL CONTINOUSLY WRITING NEW SONGS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. IT WILL BE RELEASED UNDER OUR OWN LABEL PAINSIDE RECORDS WITH SOME HELP FROM FRIENDS.

TOGC - "THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE". ALSO, THE BEST HARDCORE SHOWS ARE FREE. WHAT MAKE YOU DECIDE TO ORGANIZE A FREE SHOW IN YOU AREA, AND DO YOU HAVE ANY PROJECTS THAT'S GOING TO BE "FREE OF CHARGE"?

NPIS - IT'S A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM AND THE BEST WAY TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERITY IS THROUGH THE FOUR LETTER WORD, "FREE". LET'S SHARE THE MUSIC TO THE PEOPLE. THE ONES WHO ARE WILLING TO LISTEN. LET US SHARE THE LIGHT TO THOSE SHALLOW MINDED PEOPLE AND LET THEM FEEL WHAT IS LIKE TO BE FREE. LET THEM FEEL THE EMOTIONS OF EVERY RIFF AND THE CRIES OF THE GUITAR FEEDBACK KILLING THE STAGE. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE MUSIC WILL AFFECT THEIR HEARTS THE TIME THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT REALLY MEANS. THIS MAY CHANGE THEIR LIVES, LIKE THE WAY IT CHANGED OURS.

TOGC - WHAT ARE YOUR STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL?

NPIS - NO NAME, NO HOPE, YET WE CHOOSE TO STAND.

TOGC - CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US ABOUT ISSUES THAT YOU REALLY FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT RIGHT NOW AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

NPIS - THERE IS WAR EVERYWHERE AND OUR POLITICIANS ARE BUSY ENDORSING BEAUTY PRODUCTS PREPARING FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS. THAT IS HOW FUCKED UP THIS WORLD IS. WHILE OUR SOCIETY LOOKS UP TO THESE PEOPLE LIKE THEY ARE GOOD EXAMPLES OF A SUCCESSFUL LIFE, THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE DYING FROM HUNGER AND SOME EVEN KILL THEMSELVES JUST TO ESCAPE POVERTY. WE ARE ALL SUFFERING BUT WE MUST NOT LET THEM TAKE AWAY OUR HOPE. SO GO FEED THE HUNGRY, SING A SONG FOR THE LONELY, BE A FRIEND TO YOUR ENEMY AND IN TIMES OF WAR, ALWAYS WEAR THE SIGN OF PEACE.

TOGC - IT'S CHEAPER TO DOWNLOAD MUSIC (BOOKS, ZINE AND COMIX). DO YOU SUPPORT DOWNLOADING DESPITE OF THE FACT THAT THERE'S A BIG CORPORATION CONTROLLING THIS STUFF?

NPIS - THE MOMENT YOU TURN ON YOUR COMPUTER, YOU ARE ALREADY USING A PRODUCT MANUFACTURED BY BLOOD SUCKING CORPORATE GIANTS. THIS INTERVIEW IS CREATED THROUGH AN APPLICATION CREATED FOR THE CORPORATE WORLD. WE ARE GRATEFUL THEY HAVE INVENTED THIS THING CALLED THE INTERNET, A PLACE WHERE FREEDOM REALLY EXISTS. SO I SAY WHY NOT SUCK THEIR BLOOD TOO?

TOGC - DO YOU BELIEVE IN HIGHER BEING OR FOLLOWING A SPECIFIC RELIGION?

NPIS - I THINK ALL OF US WERE BORN AND RAISED WITH IDEAS WE REALLY BELIEVED IN BUT AS WE GROW OLDER,WE EXPAND OUR KNOWLEDGE AND LEARN TO THINK FOR OURSELVES. I CAME FROM A VERY RELIGIOUS FAMILY. I RESPECT THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE. PEOPLE HAS THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT TO BELIEVE IN BUT FOR ME, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF DIVIDING PEOPLE. RELIGION IS THEIR GUIDE ON HOW TO LIVE A MORAL AND RIGHTEOUS LIFE ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME WHO WOULD KILL IN THEIR GOD'S NAME. MUSIC MUST UNITE WHAT RELIGION HAS DIVIDED. SO FAREWELL TO THE GODS, THEY'RE NOT FOR ME. MUSIC IS MY RELIGION.

TOGC - DO YOU HAVE ANY MESSAGE TO THE WHOLE HARDCORE PUNK COMMUNITY, ANY CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENT?

NPIS - NEVER STOP BELIEVING!